First Avenue in the Warehouse District celebrated survivors as the sun set Friday night, hosting a first-ever “Lights on First” drive-thru Survivors’ Parade and luminaria memorial display as Cullman Relay for Life took its annual cancer fundraiser to the streets.

With the past year’s COVID-19 pandemic shuffling the local event’s typically robust team-based fundraising efforts, organizers are hopeful that their fresh approach to this year’s Relay will keep the ongoing fight against all forms of cancer in local donors’ hearts and minds.

“Cancer doesn’t stop, so we don’t either,” said organizer Gail Crutchfield, flanked by local Relay volunteers setting up 530 luminaria in preparation for the event Friday evening. “We take donations all year ‘round.” Donations to Cullman County Relay for Life can be made via the local chapter’s website at relayforlife.org/cullman, while individuals and businesses interested in lending their support can reach out to local members on Facebook @RFLCullmanAL.

Though Relay customarily brings survivors and their supporters together in the outdoors to remember those who’ve succumbed to cancer (while keeping the spirit of optimism alive through volunteer-funded research), the COVID-19 pandemic has spurred local organizers to approach the event differently this year.

“Many of our survivors are more immunocompromised than the average person,” explained Crutchfield, “so we decided to keep people in their cars for an event that hopefully will still honor local families and survivors. We borrowed some ideas from other people and added a few things to make this event our own, and we hope that it’s effective and meaningful to everyone who comes out tonight.”

First Avenue was blocked off for the parade, which began at the First Street NE intersection at 8:30 p.m. Guests gathered in the parking lot across from the Festhalle Market Platz to view a screen-projected slide show in honor of local cancer victims, survivors, and supporters.